


The Blue Button Eyes

by siren_of_the_ocean



Series: Tim Drake AU's [1]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Coraline - All Media Types, Justice League - All Media Types, Red Robin (Comics), Teen Titans - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, BAMF Tim Drake, Bad Parents Jack and Janet Drake, Batfamily (DCU), Child Abandonment, Child Murder, Coraline AU, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, I Tried, Inspired by Coraline, Kidnapping, Light Angst, Superman kind of ended up being an ass, Tim Drake Needs a Hug, Tim Drake is Red Robin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-07
Updated: 2020-07-07
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:28:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25133164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/siren_of_the_ocean/pseuds/siren_of_the_ocean
Summary: Kids go missing, especially in Gotham. That's nothing new. Tim didn't think anything of it.He should have.XxxxxxxA doll. Made with fabric, stuffed with sand. Black hair made with yarn, a small yellow raincoat over it's shoulders along with the black shirt and what looked like pressed trousers.Oh and of course, the blue button eyes
Relationships: Tim Drake & Kon-El | Conner Kent, Tim Drake & Raven
Series: Tim Drake AU's [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1853161
Comments: 30
Kudos: 345





	The Blue Button Eyes

Behind the locked door. Beyond the tunnel. The creature stands, waiting. Its eyes black as coal. Shiny, spindly limbs flailing. Face twisted into a snarl. Lips curled into a malicious smirk. 

"You thought I was dead. Gone. You thought wrong Little Blue" 

xxxxxx

It started with a few kids going missing. In a town like Gotham, it was harder to notice, even with the numbers going up into the double digits. Street kids were hardly reported missing anyway and the few kids that weren't living on the street weren't really investigated. Even if they were, nobody would have any idea where to start the investigation. 

But Red Hood always notices when kids go missing, especially when a few of them were under his protection. The kids had started to trust him, even approaching him on patrol but lately a few of the regulars just fell away. Like they just vanished. 

It gets even more bizarre though. The kids, they all looked the same. Not like clones or anything. But they all had black hair. They all had blue eyes. Jason had even started considering that Bruce was just adopting more kids. But more kids still went missing and nobody had a clue what was happening. 

Most bizarrely though, at all the kids' last known locations, there was always one thing. Just the one. 

A doll. Made with fabric, stuffed with sand. Black hair made with yarn, a small yellow raincoat over it's shoulders along with the black shirt and what looked like pressed trousers. 

Oh and of course, the blue button eyes. 

xxxxxxxx

Tim's eyes had trouble staying open. He's probably been awake too long, especially since he can't remember how long that was supposed to be. The letters and numbers on the screen of the batcomputer had started blurring together, the brightness of the screen stinging his eyes. 

He has things to do though. The drug ring around the diamond district needed investigating. There were 20 bodies on the ground already from whatever they laced the drugs with. 

His eyes and body wouldn't work with him though, his hand stopping it's typing and eyes still drooping. I'll just lay down for like 10 seconds, he thinks, slumping down to lie his head on his arms. Within minutes, his breathing slows and soon he's asleep. 

That nap is cut short however, when the Batmobile screeches into the cave, and Tim is awoken rudely by the noise soon before Superman lands lightly beside it. After Superman comes Wonder Woman, the Flash and Green lantern. 

Tim blinks, wondering if he's dreaming cause the no metas in Gotham rule does in fact include the Justice League. Batman had made that very clear. And yet, there's Damian. Definitely not a dream then. Not even his subconscious pious would want to torture him that much. 

Red Hood comes flying into the cave shortly after everyone is assembled, followed by Nightwing, Orphan, and Spoiler. All of them also seeming shocked at the league's presence for a second before Jason's sarcasm takes over. 

"Did we lift the no metas in Gotham rule? Does that mean that I can finally have Kori over without sneaking her through?" 

Batman doesn't deign Red Hood with an answer, simply turning to the league to explain the situation to the gathered bats. Superman steps forward to see Tim from where he stands and starts explaining. 

"Kids have been going missing. From basically every city around the area. This includes Star city, Central city and Metropolis. Batman said that it's started happening here too. So we want to team up. Investigate and find the kids" 

Tim's interest had peaked and he reached to turn on the coffee maker before he can think. The coffee will help him think. He watches the bats and the league start a minor confrontation over the team up while the coffee brews. The bats not wanting them in their territory and the league seeing it as more than just a Gotham problem. 

It'll sort itself out, he thinks as he drinks his first cup, already thinking over the possibilities. What could do this in such a large scale? And who would have the motive for it. A trafficking ring would have been more selective of the cities. Everyone knows that making trouble in Metropolis gets Superman's attention and kidnapping kids? That's well into the territory of pissing him off. Traffickers wouldn't dare. 

Some serial killer, maybe? But then there would be bodies. They said missing not killed. If the bodies had been left anywhere in or near Metropolis, Superman would have found them. Same with Central. 

So kidnapping was most likely option but either way, the person responsible would have to have enough space to put the kids. And if it drew the attention of the league, there were bound to be a lot of them. So a warehouse? Or an abandoned school? Maybe even that old hospital in Crime Alley. Tim adds investigating all these locations to his mental list. 

His attention is drawn back to the fight however when Jason yells "You hacked into my files and took over my case?!". Tim raises his head from his coffee to see Jason in Batman's face, standing close enough that he could shove at Bruce, which he promptly does. Jason is then restrained by Wonder Woman, which actually calms him, his tone less violent when he says "You can be damned lucky I care about those kids" before asking Diana to let go. 

"Now that we've figured that out. Do we have any more information. Cause it isn't a trafficking ring and I doubt it's a serial killer" Tim states, drawing the league's attention. Superman blinks before asking "Why do you think that?" to which Tim explains his reasoning, already pulling up the League files, Red Hood's files and the newspaper clippings he can find relating to the case. 

Batman nods with his explanation, pointing out the strange fixtures at all of the kids' last known locations, pulling up the pictures as he does. 

The instant that Tim sees the dolls, his ears start ringing. His body has gone numb and it feels like all the blood in his body has disappeared but his heart is racing and he can feel every heartbeat in his fingertips. 

His eyes stay locked on the picture of the doll. That damned doll. Even when Jason, the person who has tried to kill him several times in the past, rests a hand on his shoulder. Tim doesn't even notice. 

Instead, he pulls out his comm and starts calling Titans Tower. 

By that time, he has the entire room's attention. Batman keeps trying to ask if he knows the doll. The rest of the room is silent as Tim stares a hole into the computer. 

"Hey T-" Kon starts.

"Batcave. Now. Bring Raven" Tim interrupts and something in Tim's tone must tip Kon off cause he doesn't ask any questions, doesn't talk. He gives Tim a 5 minute ETA before hanging up. And that leaves the cave in silence. 

The league doesn't know him well enough to realise that Tim, in this moment, is dangerous. Even Batman doesn't really understand. But Steph knows what Tim is like right now. She stops Bruce from getting too close. Cass and Jason both seem to read into his stance and infer that Tim means business so they keep Dick and Damian away. 

The league however? None of them have a clue. "If you know anything about this..." Superman starts and Tim's attention is now locked on him as he waits for Kon and Raven to arrive. Superman seems to take that as incentive, taking steps closer to Tim even when Steph tries to pull him back by his cape. 

And by the time she starts to call out a warning, it's too late. Superman is already on the floor, Tim holding a piece of kryptonite and watching blankly before the wind rushes outside, drawing his attention as he puts it away. 

"I'd reccomend you stay back until you know what you're dealing with, otherwise you might get hurt" Tim says, his voice cold as an arctic wind. That is, until Kon clears his throat "You're in Scary Mode and I am staying here until you promise not to hurt me. And preferably exit Scary Mode" he says, his smile only mildly strained. 

Raven doesn't seem to have the same reservations, walking right up to Tim and laying a hand on his shoulder. Tim glancing at her before forcibly relaxing his shoulders. He licks his lips before pulling them into a smile. 

"Yeah, sorry about that" Tim says plainly before turning back to the monitor of the batcomputer, gesturing for Raven to take a seat. She obliges, looking over the files before her eyes lock onto the doll pictures "You think she's back?" Raven asks, turning to face Tim. Behind him, Kon had gone white as a sheet and his eyes were narrowed. If Tim hadn't forced him to learn control, the batcomputer would have been a pile of ash. 

"It shouldn't be possible. I still have the key. And that's the only way in and out" Tim states, gripping something through his shirt. "Could she have found a way out without the key? You said her hand came through without it" Raven counters. 

"Well I guess she could have but then she would have to basically dismantle herself and reassemble herself on this side" Tim says, a frown heavy on his face. When Raven raises an eyebrow, he sighs, opening his mouth to admit that it might be an option. 

That's when they're all interrupted by a beeping. The source of the sound is from Batman's watch bit soon it spreads to the entire batfamily and Tim wastes no time tuning into the local news. 

On screen is a woman. Blonde hair, slim figure and what seems to be an expensive black dress. Nothing too unusual until you see her eyes. What about her eyes you ask? Well she didn't have any. Instead of eyes, she has shiny black buttons. 

And in her hand was a child. A child wearing an oversized red hoodie. A child with black hair and blue eyes. Except this child. This child was named Billy Batson. Shazam. 

The entire league immediately started going for the exits until Tim yells "STOP!" and closes off the main exits. Superman turns, immediately to ask what he was thinking, Billy could be in danger. But Tim starts speaking.

"You have no idea what she is. You have no idea how to beat her. You have no idea what you're getting into" he states plainly. 

"And you do?"

Tim's answering smile, small and waning is enough. 

"Dude, isn't that your mom?" Kon asks, studying the woman. To that Tim shakes his head, already working on a plan. 

"She calls herself the Other Mother. Very powerful and I'm not sure what she's capable of on this side. Barry, I need you to fetch me a bag. In the house next door, to the right. The second floor, second door on your left. It's under a floorboard" 

And that's all they're getting apparently, as Tim opens up a single door out of the cave and only long enough for Barry to get out. Superman still looks mutinous but when Tim starts reaching for the pouch that he saw Tim put the kryptonite into, he keeps quiet. Barry left for the bag the second he could and the others were happy to stand and watch. Hal looked ready to ask something every now and again but one look at Tim and he closed his mouth every time. 

Within seconds Barry is back with an old backpack. It's black and covered in dust but Tim takes it as if it's the most precious thing in the world to him. Then he opens up the exits, telling everyone to go and try their luck. 

Immediately, the entire league is gone. Batman, Robin and Nightwing peel away in the Batmobile before Tim can even finish his sentence. 

Orphan, Spoiler and Red Hood are more apprehensive, watching Tim for a bit before Spoiler gets going, Orphan following to watch her back. Red Hood lingers for a second or two longer before grabbing his bike. 

"Raven. Could you do some damage control while I'm still here. I'll be there in a second but she will eat them alive without you" Tim says, not looking up from where he's sorting various nick knacks from the bag. 

She hesitates for a second before opening a portal, saying "Don't take too long" over her shoulder. Now it's only Tim and Kon left, with the bag now sorted. 

Tim grabs his old pocketknife, a small flashlight, some granola bars and a stone. Just one single stone with a hole in the middle. 

He then slips it all into his pockets, still in his civilian clothing. "Alright. Let's go" he says, grabbing onto Kon's shoulder and allowing himself to be lifted off the ground. "No costume? Not even a mask?" Kon asks, immediately fearing for Tim's sanity. 

Tim's smile is cold and ruthless "Don't need them" 

xxxxxx

When Kon lands, the battle is raging around them. Heroes being thrown out of the air by seemingly nothing. Batman and the family swinging between buildings, providing air support while Superman tries to reach the woman and Billy. It seems like he's fighting an invisible force, unable to reach either of them. And even when Wonder Woman manages to get there, it's like She vanishes and reappears father away. They're losing. 

Green lantern is fighting what seems to be a nearby statue of Ronald McDonald and Flash keeps trying to run through the force pushing back Superman and when that doesn't work, taking shots at the statue. Raven is floating up above, taking shots at the woman and when Tim looks up further, he can see a purple shield growing around the area. 

When Kon places him on the ground, the entire Batfamily yells his name in confusion. But when the woman hears his name, She freezes and turns Her head away from Wonder Woman. 

Her eyes glitter like diamonds as they meet Tim's and She immediately drops Billy. Even the force holding everyone back stops. For a few seconds, everything is dead quiet. 

"Hello. Wish I could say it's nice to see you again. But I had honestly hoped you were dead" Tim says, eyes still locked with Hers. And that's what breaks it. Her control shatters. So does Her image. 

Her blonde hair falls out in clumps, skin stretching and falling apart like paper mache in the rain, Her limbs elongate into spindly metal claws and Her clothes rot before their eyes. 

"YOU!" 

"Me"

That's all that's said before Tim takes off running. He knows these streets. He knows them well. He definitely knows them better than Her. So he takes to the streets, to the rooftops. Anything to keep him out of Her reach. 

And when the next building is too far away to reach, he jumps anyway, not suprised when a force stops him a few feet down, a slide back to the ground. She won't let him die. She needs him. She need the key. He has the key. And until that is resolved, She will keep him alive. 

So he keeps running, vaguely aware of Superman trying to follow and bring swatted out of the air by a spider like leg. Wonder Woman tries grabbing Tim and gets a flock of birds in her face for the trouble. Green lantern helps Tim build paths for a bit, using constructs to help him stay out of reach but eventually She decides him annoying and he's stabbed with a leg. 

Even Shazam makes an appearance, trying to electrocute Her, but the sparks from the lightning simply rush through and out of Her limbs. It didn't even slow Her down. 

It's just Tim for a while before some of the batfamily catches up, however one by one, She takes them down. First goes Robin as he attempts to attack Her. Then goes Spoiler when she attempts to help Tim over a gap. Then Batman, then Red Hood. Then Orphan. And through it all, Tim keeps running. 

He knows that when you stop to think about anything else, you give Her an opportunity and he refuses to allow it. So he runs. And runs. And eventually makes it back to Bristol. 

He makes it to the street his house is in before he calls into the open frequency he made for this little mission. It includes the family, the league, as well as Kon and Raven. 

"Rave, I need you to get Her off my back for a bit. No longer than 5 minutes. You'll probably be the most effective but use the others as backup, they should all be up by now" he orders and keeps running, not needing to check behind him to know that Raven had already followed and started keeping Her busy. 

By the time he makes it to his house, She is behind enough that he breaks through the door and makes it to the sitting room, unlocking the small door behind the couch with the key under his shirt. 

By the time the doorway breaks open, Superman thrown through it before She steps through. Everyone was down. No more enemies between them. Nobody at all. Just a single door. Already open. 

Her laugh reverberates through the house, shocking the members of the team awake but before they can do anything, She vanishes through the door, just like Raven had seen Tim do not 2 minutes ago. 

xxxxxx

Kon and Raven convince them all to wait in the cave. The doorway, when they reached it, hadn't been a door anymore, just a wall of bricks with a fake door. Raven had had to stop Hal from putting a train through it to see if it was hollow. 

Both of them had heard Tim's last order, as he knelt in front of the little door, panting. "Don't let anyone through. Wait for me at the cave. I'll be there in like 5 hours. Tops" 

Both Raven and Kon trusted Tim to make good on that. They know that he has a plan and that doing as he says usually keeps him alive in this sort of situation. So they wait. And wait. And wait. 

An hour passes and Batman starts drawing up a preliminary report on the incident. 2 hours pass and Barry asks Alfred for lunch even though no-one has an appetite. 3 hours pass and Steph actually storms into the cave dressing area to get out of costume, all of the bats following her lead. 4 hours pass and even Raven seems to be doubting at least slightly but Kon holds on. 

Just before the 5 hour mark, there's a knock on the cave entrance. Red Hood opens the door, to see Tim, whole and alive but bleeding. 

"I'm not late, am I?" he asks, panting, holding a hand to his side as it drips blood to the floor. "You're on time dumbass. Let's get you to the infirmary" Kon says, picking Tim up regardless of the strangled sound Tim makes. 

"I have questions" Batman states. Tim's eyes flick up and look over all of them for injury, seeming satisfied at the minor bruising and slight bleeding. After all, looking at him makes it look like they got off easy. 

A stab wound in his side, bruising along his arms and legs reminiscent of ropes, minor bruising along his chest and back along with the blood on his left eyebrow. He doesn't look good. 

"Ask away" Tim says as Alfred starts to clean and stitch his side. 

"You know what that was"  
"That's a statement, not a question. But yes, I do"  
"What was it?"  
"That's...not as easy as you'd expect. The people I've met call Her a Beldame. But the only real reference I get to that is an old French poem about a cruel woman. I've just accepted that she is. She exists and I don't know how but She does"  
"What do you know about her?"  
"She kidnaps kids. She scouts unhappy children, sends them a doll to spy on their every desire and then lures them away into a world where every dream, every desire is true. But it's all a trick. She makes them think that they'll be happier there than the real world. She asks them to stay. And well. There's always a price for staying isn't there?"  
"What's the price?" Barry interrupts  
"You know how people always say that the eyes are the window to the soul? Well it isn't all metaphorical. In exchange for staying in Her realm, the Beldame asks for one thing. You have to let Her replace your eyes with buttons"

That sends a shiver down everyone's spines before Wonder Woman makes the connection "She steals their souls?". Tim's eyes are sad as they meet hers "I managed to get their eyes back. They should be free" he says, opening his bag to reveal a plastic bag with dozens of severed eyeballs. They don't seem to be like they used to though. They look almost like glass eyes except for the nerves and veins. 

"And how do you know all this?" Hal asks, tearing his eyes away from the horror of the eyes. 

In response, Tim root's through the bag Barry was sent to fetch, eventually pulling out a mass of aged yellow fabric. He smiles at it before unraveling it, revealing something old and worn that Tim places behind him. He shrugs on the old yellow raincoat before throwing the doll, just like all the others in front of the league. 

And there it is. The yellow raincoat, the black shirt, the pressed pants. The black hair and the blue eyes. 

"Because she tried to get to me too. I just fought back"

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know why Superman ended up being so...like this. I may have watched too much Young Justice and may still be annoyed.
> 
> Sequel is now up. Under the name 'Beldames and their habits', part 2 of the series The doll


End file.
